Segments

The Peanut and I have developed quite a routine. Unfortunately, she is like me, so it takes very little to throw her off her groove. Therefore, any slight adjustment to the routine could (and often does) result in a meltdown. My new goal is to help her become a little more flexible without undoing all the work I've done to get her to take reasonable naps and sleep all night. I'm not sure how to do that, but I will try.

Anyway, our day is currently divided into five segments, and I will outline them below, not because I think anyone has any interest in our segments, but because this blog has become the default Peanut Chronicle, and I may want to remember this someday.

Segment 1: 7:30 - 11:00am

7:30 T. gets up, makes coffee, eats something quick, starts a load of laundry, checks email.
8:00 T. gets Peanut up, changed, and fed
8:30 P. watches Clifford* while T. does chores
9:00 Walk in the bjork, weather permitting. Otherwise, playtime on Gymini
10:00 P. takes nap**, T. showers, blogs, eats something quick, does chores.

Segment 2: 11:00 - 2:00 pm

11:00 P. wakes up and eats
11:30 Playtime: Gymini, etc. or errands in the car
12:30 P. takes nap, T. blogs or does chores

Segment 3: 2:00 - 4:30 pm

2:00 P. wakes up and eats
2:30 Playtime or errands in the car
3:30 P. naps, T. does some stuff

Segment 4: (The Final Countdown) 4:30 - 7:30pm

4:30 P. wakes up and eats
5:00 - 6:30 Playtime and "The Mommy Show" (whatever needs to be done to entertain P. until bath time)
6:30 Bath time!
7:00 Peanut's final meal of the day
7:30 Bedtime for Peanut

Segment 5: 7:30 - 10:00pm (Adults only!)
Make dinner, eat dinner, watch Star Trek (or Nova on Tues or the Office on Thurs), hang out with Kev, have band practice, go to bed.

Weekends are different, as they include different play time activities and methods of damage control, as well as the Mommy and Daddy show, which is better than the Mommy show because it has juggling among other things. Daddy is more talented than Mommy.

*Every time I walk through the room during Clifford, one of those dogs is threatening to stop being friends with one of the other dogs, and Clifford (is that John Ritter?) is trying to be the voice of reason. Is there just the one episode of Clifford, or is this a recurring theme?

**If the Peanut says the following :Ging! Nyang! or Angang!, or if she rolls over on her side and starts to suck her thumb, that means she is ready for a nap, and must be taken to the napping area asap or we risk meltdown.

Pilates for Babies

The Peanut works on her core.

Yoga Troubles and Pumpkin Bread

I just finished eating a slice of warm delicious pumpkin bread. (Kev took a slice off the end before I could take the picture). I finally made some this afternoon after all that talk about it last week. I just didn't have time last week, and then Friday it was 98 degrees and I couldn't get into the spirit of pumpkin bread, but today it was cool and fall-like, so I made some. I want some more, and may justify having another slice by claiming I'm only in it for the Vitamin A.

So, Friday when it was 98 degrees, I went to the second yoga class, the one at the wellness spa. And now I have a dilemma. Here's the thing. It was a really good class, meaning it was really difficult and I got a great workout. The teacher was good, and I didn't get pressed on at all. And it wasn't hokey. Well, ok, there was a gong in the studio, but nobody gong-ed it...it was just decoration. But the problem is that it is in the wellness spa, and I don't really fit in at such places. So I spent the whole time feeling kinda dorky and self-consious. And to top it all off, at the end of the class, we had to wait for our cars at the valet stand (yes, you have to valet park your car at the wellness spa), and after the valet brought a brand new BMW to the first lady, and a brand new Mercedes to the second lady, he came rolling up in my 98 Buick with the big dented door and the missing hub cap. High Class! So, now I'm not sure what to do. The yoga at wellness spa is definitely more physically beneficial, but the other yoga where the friendly people liked my shoes is more mentally beneficial. So I have to figure out what I really need most from my limited me-time.

I think I am gonna end up going with the wellness spa yoga. I don't really care too much about the snooty ladies with the fancy cars. I may drive a beat up Buick, but I also have a good baby and a nice husband (who by the way made me beef stew today) and a nice house and a lot of nice friends and family. And who really needs a Mercedes when you've got all that? Plus delicious warm Vitamin A-filled pumpkin bread. That's it, I'm going for another slice...

Bjork

This morning it was really cool out, so we took the Peanut for a walk. This is the first time she has gone for a walk facing front in the Baby Bjorn (which we call the Bjork). She could finally see what the world looks like the way we all see it, rather than seeing it from lying on her back in the stroller. For the first couple of minutes, she was fascinated, and looked all around with great wonder! But then she became preoccupied with trying to eat the bjork, and that was that. Still, it was way more fun than the stroller, and there was no crying, and when she got home, she immediately went to sleep from all the fresh air.

Independent

Look what I can do all by myself. Pretty soon I won't need my mommy at all.

Take Two

Today my mom came to visit and we took the Peanut for a walk to Legal Grounds for breakfast. Legal Grounds is a coffee shop slash law office, only I don't think they have the law part of it anymore. Now they just have coffee and really good food and law books on the shelves to make it look like a law office. At night, oddly enough, it is a Greek restaurant, which we haven't tried yet, mostly on account of when I was pregnant, I couldn't have feta cheese. Oh, how I missed feta! We'll have to go there sometime soon. Anyway, on the way to Legal Grounds, we had to pass the yoga place from the other day, and who was standing outside but the lady who told me she liked my orange shoes! I didn't want her to see me because I decided not to go back there even though I told them all "see you next time" at the end of the class where I got pressed past my edge. It's a good thing my mom was there, because she said, "I'll hide you!" and made a big deal out of blocking me from sight by walking sideways with her arms held out wide. I'm sure no one noticed, it was so subtle (where is sarcasm font when you need it?). My mom thought it was real funny.

I think I may have been a little too hard on the yoga place, though, because the next day I wasn't sore at all. But tomorrow I am going to try another place I found on the internet to see if I like it better. And as a bonus, it is the opening week, so the class is free. I am not sure I will like it though. It will probably be a more traditional class, like I am used to, and I will like that. On the other hand, this class is at a new "wellness spa" associated with a swanky hotel (coming soon!) and I fear I will be surrounded by the Beautiful People rather than old hippie ladies this time. At least with my orange shoes I won't feel like a total loser. Those shoes are like Dumbo's magic feather, I tell you what. So, I will let you know how it goes. At least there probably won't be a poem at the end.

I have almost finished the book I've been reading all year (Mailman) and I could have finished it this afternoon during Daphne's nap, but I didn't. For one thing, I am very worried about how things are going to turn out for Mailman. It doesn't look good. And for another thing, I hate finishing books because then they are over and I have book-finishing letdown, which lasts at least until I find a new book to read. I'll probably go ahead and go finish it when I'm done with this blog though. I've got to do it sometime.

A couple of quick things while I'm thinking about it:

Kim - the pumpkin I have is Libby's brand 100% pumpkin, and on the label it says "Ingredient: Pumpkin" so if it's squash, they've got some explaining to do.

Fooie: I am not allowed to give you my Jambalaya recipe, but I can tell you it is adapted from Eula Mae's Jambalaya in the Tabasco Brand cookbook by McIlhenny.

G.G.: Yeah, Kev told me about the Nerve Pinch thing. I wondered why something called a death grip never actually killed anyone. I think I thought it was called that because of a song called Vulcan Death Grip by a cool band from Austin whose name I suddenly can't remember. All I can think of is Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, but that's not it. Help me out, Kev.

Thumbalina

I Hurt Myself Today

Today I was all excited because my dad came over to babysit so I could do something for myself and go to yoga. I haven't been since I stopped going to pregnant lady yoga back in April and I really miss it. So, I went to this place in my neighborhood to try a class. You can go as a "drop-in" and pay per class, or you can get a punch card and pay for several classes in advance at a slight discount. Today, I went as a drop-in.

The class started off OK. The teacher was really nice and the other women in the class were nice too. The studio smelled like patchouli and there was some pleasant background music on. The teacher told me that this would not be like other traditional yoga classes I've been to, and that this was all about just "going to my edge." Fine by me. Especially since it's been so long since I've done any exercise besides walking. But as the class went on, the poses were really difficult, and the teacher would go around and start pressing on people, including me, and she pressed on me until I was well over my edge, and once I even had to say, "Ow ow ow." I tried but failed to find a picture on the internet of this one pose she got us into so I could show you. What a twisted mess! Still, at the end of the class, I felt really good. All loose and relaxed. I didn't even mind the hokey poem she read at the end. (I can overlook the hokiness factor of yoga if it's a good class.) And then a lady said she liked my orange shoes! So I almost bought a punch card. I get easily sucked into things when people are nice to me. But something told me to wait, and now it's several hours later and I had to take some Motrin because I kinda feel like I've been hit by a bus and I don't think I want to go back there again so it's a good thing I didn't buy a punch card. So, I am feeling a little sad that it didn't work out at this place, because it is walking distance from my house and now I'm going to have to try to find another place and be the "new person" again. Dangit.

And tonight we finished the last of the jambalaya I made last Friday, and Kev is leaving town tomorrow for two days, so all that makes me sad too. I swear I could eat Jambalaya every day.

Tomorrow, I am going to take a walk and make some pumpkin bread and cheer myself up. And then I'll start the search for another yoga class. OM....

Happy

Only 12 days until October. October = State Fair of Texas = Bird show + Fair food. Also, we can take Daphne to the Arboretum for fall blooms and the pumpkin patch. October is the best month of all.

I am going to make some pumpkin bread soon to celebrate. Mmmmm...pumpkin bread.

Today, I put on my orange shoes and took my baby to Target. I felt almost hip and cool, and the Peanut was good. No in-store meltdowns.

Now I can't stop thinking about pumpkin bread.

Update: I have just checked the pantry, and we have pumpkin! Yes!

Scream Face

New Shoe Review

So, the other day when I was feeling all frumpy and sorry for myself, I told Kev that I'd like to be "the Modern Mom." I'm not sure what that really means, exactly, but I am hoping these new orange shoes are a step (no pun intended) in the right direction. During my summer hibernation, I have pretty much worn my housepants around the clock, but now that the weather is getting better and I've got orange shoes, I am going to try to actually get myself dressed and get out more. Bonus: the shoes match the groovy owl scarf that Kev got me last year. Bring on the fall!

Trek Moves

So, channel G4 (whatever that is) always has these Star Trek marathons on Saturday mornings, and I have been recording them (for Kev, of course). Since there is almost never anything worth watching at 8:00pm (when we finally eat dinner after putting the Peanut to bed), we've recently been watching an episode each night while we eat. I think I am starting to get the hang of Star Trek, although I still get in trouble for laughing at it from time to time. Anyway, last night Kev and I almost got into an argument because of the Vulcan Death Grip. Kev thinks it's a cool move, but I think it's really corny. Not as corny as Captain Kirk's signature karate-chop (never fails!), but corny nonetheless. It reminds me of a WWF move, like the People's Elbow, or whatever it was called when Mankind got out his sock puppet. I'm sure there are some Trekkies out there who would like to have my head for such Spock blasphemy. Oh well. Anyway, I don't mind watching Star Trek. Mr. Scott's pretty cool.

On a somewhat related note, we watched The Sting the other night (it happened to be on at 8:00pm). Now, THAT is some greatness.

And Speaking of Hair

Mine is falling out at an alarming rate. I think it has to do with post-pregnancy body chemistry. We find strands of it all over the house. Sometimes even miniature Tara-hair tumbleweeds. It's pretty gross. And a little worrying.

Rush Knucklehead is at it again, and it's almost 9:30pm. If he wakes up the Peanut, there will be trouble.

The screaming was a little less today. I am limiting play with Gerald.

Hairdo?

More like a Hairdon't. Poor little thing.

The Screamer

My baby has started a new phase. What began as cute experimental "squealing with delight" has turned into bouts of screaming that could rival any of Jason or Freddy Kruger's victims. She mostly screams at her elephant (who we have named "Gerald," (above) but that's another story).* She tries to eat Gerald's feet, and when she fails, she begins to scream the most horrifying blood-curdling screams I have ever heard. This screaming can last as long as 20 minutes if I let it.
As a speech-language pathologist, I am concerned about her abusing her vocal folds. As a mom, I am completely beaten down, and terrified it will start happening in public places like the grocery store or the mall, or if it lasts until Christmas, Lord help me, the airplane.

Why is she screaming? Why is she so mad at her toys? I suppose it is just all part of learning to talk, but man oh man, it's wearing me out. Have any of you other parents out there been through the screamer phase? If so, please tell me it is a short one, even if it isn't. I need a glimmer of hope to get me through this.

* Elephant Gerald. Get it?

Educational TV

Today on Clifford the Big Red Dog, we learned that if you have an itch, you have to scratch it, even if it means you might have to wear a cone. Your real friends will still play with you whether you have a cone or not.

Happy Birthday Kim!

Good luck with the contract!

(Sorry it's so hard to read the sign)

Ukulele Baby

Another Sabado Gigante

We had a big Saturday, starting with breakfast at the Dream Cafe (how can you go wrong if you start that way?). Kev's friend and secret LRHS reader Detroit Jill came for a visit, so we loaded up the Peanut and went to the Dream Cafe for a lovely breakfast on the patio, which was so nice that it wasn't even completely ruined by the dead fly in my syrup.

After that, we went over to the lake for a stroll. At the little pavillion by the playground, a very large group of Indian people were gathered for a rally/walk featuring a Swami! We know it was a swami because there was a poster of him that said "Swami" on it. He was dressed from head to toe in orange...a long flowing robe and a tall cylindrical hat. For some reason, he led a small group down to the lake carrying an inflatable raft. Some of the men in the group got in the raft, rowed out a short distance, and rowed back to shore. You never know what you might see at the lake. There was also an egret and several turtles and a group of girl scouts, but they didn't have any cookies.

Then, last night, Kev and I went to Billy Bob's Texas to see the great Chris Isaak. We left the Peanut with Julie (thanks Julie!), and even though we were all the way in Fort Worth, I didn't worry about her hardly at all. The show was awesome. Chris Isaak might be the only straight guy who can get away with wearing a suit made of hundreds of tiny mirrors without looking like a total cheese ball. If I had more free time, I would make a suit like that for Kev, who at the very least could wear it at Halloween.

On the way home, we saw a huge fire. It was an office building or maybe a warehouse west of downtown, and north of I-30. Many people were pulled over on the highway to look at it.

So, visitors, waffles, swamis, babysitters, Fort Worth, Chris Isaak, and a giant fire. Pretty big Saturday.

Hooray!

LarryFeathers has blogged, and it makes for some fine reading, I tell you what. Worth the wait.

Na-Nanny-Boo-Boo

Monkey Dress

Thanks to the great john_clark for discovering this dress. Maybe Bjork or someone will be wearing it to some awards show in the future.

The Thumb That Saved My Sanity

Here she is, hands folded, sound asleep with thumb in mouth.

Tic Tac Toe

Three in a row. Three nights in a row, that is, where the Peanut has put herself to sleep and then slept all night. I think that's enough to be considered a trend that's pretty much here to stay. She's sleeping about 12 hours now. It is so great. Now I don't feel like I have to rush to bed right away to maximize my sleeping time. She goes to bed at about 8:00 and goes to sleep within about 10 minutes, and the past few nights, I have been able to stay up for a while and watch TV and READ! I am finally going to get to finish reading "Mailman" (which is a book I started reading way back in May). I almost feel like a normal person again.

Today's challenge: taking the baby to the grocery store without a meltdown.

UPDATE: So, we just got back from the store...the Peanut was awake the whole time and was good all the way to the deli counter, which is the last stop. There, she decided to melt down right in front of the nice deli man who has been waiting to see her. (It's my own dang fault, I guess, for taking too long in the sausages. I couldn't help it! There were so many to choose from!)* The wailing lasted until we got to the checkout, where the lines were loooong. So, I had to take her down from the grocery cart and swing her back and forth in the seat for about 15 minutes so she wouldn't scream. A request for those of you who go to the grocery store kid-free: If you see a beaten-down looking lady with a screaming infant in a heavy carseat which needs to be swung to keep the peace, for the love of Pete, be a good citizen and let her go ahead of you. It's the nicest thing you could do. On a more positive note, a short British lady was giving out samples of an Asian Pear. It was delightful! I bought two.

*For anyone who is interested, I went with a smoked bratwurst.

Nelson!

Hey, remember these guys? Look at that hair!

My parents are currently on board Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas, and guess who is the featured entertainment? That's right. An older, shorter-haired set of Nelson twins (not to be confused with Olson twins which are completely different). Anyway, poor Nelson. Reduced to cruise ship status.

Now, everyone knows I love cruises, but certainly not for the shows. I love to be at sea and have mild adventures, like parasailing and river tubing and so forth. Last time I went on a cruise, I was supposed to go snorkeling with stingrays, but we had to bypass Grand Cayman because of a hurricane, so I didn't get to do it. Now, with all that happened with the crocodile hunter, I don't think snorkeling with stingrays is the mild adventure for me.

Well, anyway, hi to my parents who are probably checking this blog from the ship from time to time.

This blog has been brought to you by Daphne's Nap.

Waking Up All Happy

"It's my birthday!"

One Quarter

Birthday Girl - Sound asleep (still!) at 7:30 AM

Today is Daphne's One Quarter Birthday. It is hard to believe she is three months old. During these three months, she has accomplished a lot. She has doubled in weight, grown 5 or 6 inches, learned to roll both ways, learned to use her hands and squeal and make lots of interesting sounds, and slept all night 4 times (including last night!). In fact last night, she put herself to sleep for the first time. No big 45 minute production of rocking and rocking and delicate maneuvering into the crib whilst holding my breath and praying not to step on a creaky floor board only to have her wake up after 30 seconds because she needed that one last good burp. Aaaahhh. This time, I just read her a story, rocked her until she was sleepy, said goodnight, and put her to bed. Fifteen minutes later, she was fast asleep. No crying, even! As much as I am annoyed by the thumb-sucking, that is what helped her go to sleep on her own. Thank you, thumb!

Also, the hair is still red and the eyes are still blue. I love my good little baby. Happy Birthday, Peanut!

Monkey Time

Ralph is Daphne's new favorite toy. They appear to be conspiring...

Saturday in the Park

Going outside is finally bearable, so Saturday night, we took the Peanut to the local playground for some sliding and swinging. She didn't quite get it. But the fresh air and activity was enough to make her sleep all night again, plus some very nice small Mexican boys told us our baby is cute, so going to the park is good.

Sorry, More Baby Pictures

After breakfast, Daphne likes to sit in her bouncey seat, watch TV (Big Big World is her favorite) and play with this toy. We call it the "pentapus" because it only has five legs. It is either some kind of misfit octopus, or a five-legged vegetable guy. Anyway, she likes to grab the legs and make him jingle. She has also learned to squeal with delight, and has been practicing this for the last few days. She is very loud for something so little.

The Peanut Sucks...

...her thumb. It's kinda cute now, but it won't be if she's still doing it when she's 12. Oh well. It's better than smoking, I reckon.

Girl Meets Dog

Yesterday I took the Peanut to the Land of Gar. She has been there many times, and has been around Albert the Good Dog a lot, but yesterday was the first time she really paid attention to him. She watched him with a look on her face like she was really trying to figure him out. I was scared of dogs when I was little, so my goal is to make sure Daphne is NOT. I want her to get used to Albert (and for Albert to get used to her - he is a little jealous) as soon as possible. Especially since when we go up to New York for Christmas, there are going to be four dogs for her to get to know.

Albert was nice to her yesterday. He gets upset when she cries though. And when he isn't getting enough attention, he tries to eat his stuffed squirrel. Poor Albert. He's not the baby anymore, but we all still love him just as much as ever.